VA Loma Linda Celebrates National Medical Laboratory Professionals’ Week

VA Loma Linda Healthcare System proudly joined the Veterans Healthcare Administration and the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science in celebrating National Medical Laboratory Professionals' Week April 20 - 26.

On Monday, April 21, VA Loma Linda’s Executive Leadership Team visited the laboratory at Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans’ Hospital in Loma Linda, California, to kick off National Medical Laboratory Professionals' Week and recognize the expertise, compassion, and dedication of VA Loma Linda’s more than 100 Medical Laboratory Professionals. 

Leadership met with VA Laboratory Manager Abigail Jopling, MLS (ASCP) CM, to tour the lab; learn about daily operations and opportunities; see recently updated technology and equipment; and most importantly, to thank VA Medical Laboratory Professionals for their dedication to serving Veterans and wish them a “Happy Lab Week.”

Medical Laboratory Professionals are the backbone of VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, providing top-tier, compassionate care. The lab team is highly educated, trained, and mission focused.

“What we do matters,” said Jopling. “Our Medical Laboratory Professionals contribute up to 70% of the data used for making medical decisions.”

Many VA Medical Laboratory Professionals are Veterans themselves or have a personal connection to those who’ve served. 

“I enjoy serving my fellow Veterans at VA because it’s a community and we understand each other,” said U.S. Army Veteran and Lead Medical Technologist Nicole Shaw. “There’s never a dull moment in the lab because we get to process interesting cases and constantly increase our knowledge.” 

Behind every test result is a dedicated professional working diligently to ensure accuracy and efficiency.

“VA Loma Linda’s lab team is excellent,” said Chief of Staff Dr. V. Franklin Sechriest. “They touch every aspect of the healthcare system. Their attention to detail, dedication, and professionalism directly impacts outstanding patient care and experience.”

VA Medical Laboratory Professionals don’t just provide care, they lead the way in healthcare innovation.

One innovation at VALL is digital scanners. “VA Loma Linda is the only hospital in our Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN) doing 100% digital quality scans,” said Jopling. “Every single case that we have is scanned in digitally to allow for quicker second opinions at other sites. Our lab is an Anatomic Pathology Reference Site, and other sites will send cases for VALL Pathologists to review. VA Loma Linda’s lab is a center of excellence.” 

VA Medical Laboratory Professionals bring innovation, knowledge, and heart to every patient interaction. Their insights are critical in advancing best practices, improving patient outcomes, and driving meaningful change in healthcare. 

The lab at VA Loma Linda is improving equipment and implementing updated technology to increase efficiency and reduce the time it takes for healthcare teams to receive medical data and provide care to Veterans. To further increase patient satisfaction and experience, labs across VA Loma Linda facilities open at 6 a.m. Monday – Friday to support Veterans who need early appointments, especially those fasting for lab work.

To request lab work at VA Loma Linda, contact your healthcare team through My HealtheVet or call 909-825-7084 to schedule an appointment with your provider. A provider’s order is required for all lab work, except for HIV screening which allows self-referrals.